Members of the Temple University Hospital Nurses Association and Temple Allied Professionals have reached new contracts with management, averting a possible strike, news station WHYY reported Nov. 7.
The unions, which are affiliates of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, represent nurses, technical specialists and other professionals at Philadelphia-based Temple University Hospital.
Union members authorized a strike in October after their previous contract expired. Now, both sides have reached new contracts covering about 2,500 hospital employees, according to union and hospital statements shared with Becker's.
"After working through a pandemic that greatly stressed all front-line caregivers, we worked very hard to get a contract we could be proud of, a contract that honors both our work and our patient community," Phyllis Brown, RN, said in a Nov. 7 news release.
The new agreements include smaller nurse-to-patient ratios, additional security measures, wage increases, and a new system related to follow-ups and debriefs when there is an incident of workplace violence, according to the union.
Temple Health said in a statement that the contracts were "achieved because of mutual commitment to a sustained process of contract negotiations. Our TUH negotiating team was successful in achieving terms that are fair and equitable for all parties and that will further strengthen recruitment and staffing by setting a new statewide standard for healthcare compensation —including a significant wage increase — and improve on our already best-in-class benefits."
The new contracts run from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2025.